Wrench.



PATENTED MAY 14, 1907.

J. KNOWLES.

v WRENCH. APPLICATION FILED FBB.13, 1907.

UNITE sTaTns TTnnT orricn.

JOSEPH KNOWLES, OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO S. FOURTNER, OF EDMONDS, WVASHINGTON.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ma 14, 1907.

Application filed February 13, 1907. Serial No. 357,123.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn KNowLEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ed monds, in the county of Snohomish and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of wrench whereby the very act of manipulating the wrench after it has received between its jaws the work to be operated upon, will tend to tighten the movable jaw of the wrench and securely grip the wrench to the work, and a further object of the invention is to provide a wrench of this character which will be simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and durable.

With these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts hereinafter described and articularly pointed out in the ap ended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved wrench; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one portion of the handle; and, Fig. 4 is a similar view of the .adjacent portion of the movable jaw.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the stationary jaw of the wrench, 2 the shank thereof, which is provided with a threaded portion 3, and 4 the movable jaw.

The movable aw 4 is fitted to slide on the shank 2 and is provided at its handle end with an interior annular groove 5 adapted to receive the engaging member 6 which is in the form of a tubular extension on the end of the hollow handle 8. The tubular extension of the handle provides an annular shoulder 7 adapted to abut against the adjacent end of the movable jaw when the handle and movable jaw are operatively connected together. It is to be particularly noted that the engaging member 6 is in the form of a segmental lip projecting from the tubular extension of the handle, and said extension is rounded or beveled longitudinally opposite the said lip 6, as indicated at 6. Hence it is evident that the handle may be engaged with the movable aw by entering the lip first into the annular groove 5 and then rocking the movable jaw and handle toward each other so as to slide the rounded or beveled side 6 into the former. It is obvious, then, so long as these two parts are in longitudinal alinement, they are susceptible of relative rotation. So long as the shank of the stationary aw extends through both of these parts, it is impossible to detach them, and consequently the movable aw will move relatively to the shank with the handle. But as soon as the shank has been detached, the movable jaw and handle may be disconnected merely by breaking are held operatively connected together and the joint, as clearly illustrated in the draw- The handle 8 is provided with an interior screw thread 9 adapted to coact with the threaded portion 3 of the shank, and a cap 10 the shank and is adapted to engage a shoulder 11 on the inner wall of the handle, so as to limit the movement of the handle when taking ofl the shank. This cap 10 is provided preferably with a kerf or groove, as shown, so that it may be secured in place and unscrewed by means of a screw-driver.

In the practical use of my improved wrench, it is evident that the movable jaw may be readily moved up toward the stationary jaw, so that the work to be operated upon may be embraced between the two jaws, and it is evident that by providing a hollow handle, screw threaded, as described, upon the shank 2, all the strain of the operators hand exerted upon the wrench will be imposed indirectly upon the movable jaw so as to cause it to bind firmly against the nut or other member that is being gripped. Hence, it will be seen that in the very act of manipulating the wrench, the two jaws will be moved together and the work very securely gripped.

While the accompanying drawings illusis secured on the outer reduced extremity of V trate the threads 3 and 9 as being left handed threads, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to this exact direction of thread, as a right handed thread may be employed in lieu of the left hand thread shown. I prefer the left hand thread, however, as most efiicient to the desired end, because the operator will be most likely to draw the work toward him and thereby tighten the movable jaw by this movement with such a thread.

It is to be noted that the shank 2 extends entirely through the hollow handle 8 and that the plug or cap 10 forms the support for the handle when the two jaws are opened to their full extent, thereby imparting considerable strength and durability to the wrench, itbeing noted that the length of the plug or cap 10 and its relation to the shoulder 11 are such that the cap is flush with the rear end of the handle when the cap is engaged with the shoulder.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple, durable and efficient form of wrench which will tightly grip itself to the work as above described, and the parts of which may be cheaply manufactured and easily assembled and disconnected.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A wrench, comprising a stationary jaw, a shank secured to said jaw and provided with a threaded portion, a movable jaw slidable upon said shank and provided at its handle end with an interior annular groove, a hollow threaded handle adapted to work on the threaded portion of said shank and provided at one end with a tubular extension, said extension formed with a segmental lip and an opposite longitudinally beveled edge, the lip being adapted to enter the groove with the handle at an angle to the movable jaw and then secured in said groove by rocking the handle so as to slide the beveled portion of said extension into the movable jaw, the said shank extending through the movable jaw and handle, whereby to hold said parts in longitudinal alinement and prevent their disconnection, and means for limiting the movenrlilent1 of the handle and movable jaw on the s an i.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH KNowLEs. L s.] 

